October Newsletter 2017

The display of rich autumn hues now prominent all around us just gets better and better, doesn’t it? The garden centre is looking just lovely. The front tables sing with colour, showing off the vibrant reds, yellows and oranges of the season. The Heuchera in particular are looking absolutely splendid, as are the Hydrangeas, vying for our attention with the plumes of grasses. There are some lovely shrubs available for winter and spring interest, including beautifully scented Daphne and Sarcococca. Then there is Skimmia ‘Pabella’, with masses of berries, and rich dark leaves … ideal for brightening up a shady spot over the winter. (This is a really strong contender if you want a shade tolerant evergreen with year round interest, by the way.)

If you’re yearning for a tree or shrub with autumn colour to grace your garden, it’s not too late to plant one. If you’re at all nervous about what to choose, remember we are here to help and advise you, and can explain how to plant and stake your new tree to ensure it thrives. There is a lot to choose from, but current stars are the Euonymus alatus with their vibrant red autumn foliage and Nandina domestica. Of course, not much can beat a Japanese Acer for a magnificent autumn display. We still have a few in stock, but hurry, as they are going fast.

Even if you don’t have room to plant a tree or shrub, you will definitely find space for some Wallflowers, which are now in stock as bare-rooted plants at £3.95 for a pack of 10. Each week we get different colours in, but whatever colours you go for, these are the most fantastically easy flowers to just pop into the ground and forget about until they burst into gloriously scented flower in early spring. There is only a short window of opportunity in which we can sell them, so it’s easy to miss them. There’s a sheet near the till explaining how to plant them.

Cyclamen, winter bedding, and spring bulbs are all now in stock. We have pansies, violas, cyclamen (including Hederifolium, for naturalising), bellis and more, all of which create bright spots of colour in your tubs and planters, as well as in your borders. There is a bulb that can be planted almost anywhere … under trees, in your lawn, in flower beds, pots, window boxes – even indoors. Sadly, there are some lines that sell out with our suppliers quickly, so to avoid disappointment get yours soon.

If you want a fantastic spring bulb display, why not create a ‘ bulb lasagne’? Layering different types of bulbs in one pot creates an amazingly full display. Have some fun with it, by marrying clashing vibrant colours, or go for something more muted and subtle.

Now is the time to plan ahead for winter and early spring colour; we have some beautiful Camellia Jury’s Yellow in stock, which I managed to grab at a trade show recently, along with some stonkingly good Wisteria. There are also some lovely large Ceanothus, which look good all year round with their glossy dark green leaves.

If you don’t have a garden but love to be surrounded by greenery, you’re bound to find a houseplant to suit you. Sourced by Martyna and housed in the Tool Shed, the range changes all the time. You can pick up a large high impact plant, or a tiny little succulent … as well as lots in between the two. You’ll also find composts and fertilisers to suit your new purchase, as well as a really fabulous range of pots and planters for indoors.

In the shop, we’ve had a delivery of Hug Rugs. They suck up mud and water in a flash, are machine washable, and 100% UK manufactured in a small factory in Yorkshire. We’re bound to get wet weather again soon, so be prepared.

With cooler weather on the way, we have Olive firewood back in stock, so you can light your fire or wood burner again and enjoy the extended warmth and glorious aroma these logs produce. Very soon we’ll also have hardwood and kiln dried too, if that’s what you prefer.

We’ve made a small display near the till of things you might need to help with the great autumn clear up, including rakes, leaf sacks, scoops, gloves, soft tie, pruning saws and secateurs . Check out the fabulous new ‘Big Tidee’, a clever combination of hand rake and large scoop, to make clearing up the leaves a complete doddle.

Elsewhere in the shop, the range of gorgeously scented Natalie Bond liquid soaps, balms and oils continues to gain more and more fans. Once you try them, you won’t want to use anything else! The skin balm is particularly good for hard working gardeners’ hands.

Oh, and I’ve just taken delivery of a supply of True Grace candles. Even though they have increased in price (due to the fact that the glass and essential oils both come from France) it’s become clear that they are loved so much that they are worth the extra few ££. The winter scents, such as Fig, Cinnamon and Clove, Jasmine Tea and Sandalwood have joined the more summery ones, such as Geranium, Green Tea and Citrus, Bergamot, and Seashore. (I’ve kept the delicious Christmas, White Christmas and Dark Christmas in the cupboard …. don’t want them out too soon!)

Gosh! I think I’ve burbled on for quite long enough, so will hand you over to Sally, with her wonderful ‘Garden Tasks’ for you below. This is the last full month for a while that Sally will be with us, as she’s off travelling in early November for 3 months, so absorb her words of wisdom while you can.

Hope to see you at the garden centre very soon.

Karen

Garden jobs

What a lovely season we are heading into with the sights and smells of autumn. It's time to clear away debris from the garden and terrace and enjoy time outside when you can.

My top two jobs for the month

1. Autumn is a good time to think about what is and isn't working in your outside space, before the memory of the past season fades. Be critical, make notes and make plans!

2. Tidy up fallen leaves regularly: to discourage overwintering pests and disease; to protect the lawn; and to keep terraces and balconies clean and tidy.

General garden maintenance

• Keep up with clearing leaves as they fall. Left sitting on the lawn, fallen leaves deprive the grass of light and should be raked up regularly. It's ok to leave some on beds and borders to rot down into the soil. A simple way to clear leaves off the lawn is to run over them with a lawn mower. The cutting action of the mower blades will help to shred the leaves and make them quicker to rot down.
• Leaves are a good addition to the compost heap, but remember that leaves can take longer to break down than other garden matter. Dispose of any diseased leaves in garden waste.
• Alternatively, you can make leaf mould, to use to improve soil or as a compost when planting. If you don’t have a separate area to compost leaves in this way, special hessian leaf sacks are available. Make sure you moisten the leaves sporadically, and in two years’ time you’ll have rich dark compost.
• Cover ponds with net to prevent leaves falling in, but leave access for wildlife.
• Clean and tidy around the garden, fixing, mending and storing away. Check fences and trellis and repair as necessary.
• Cut back and compost summer bedding and annuals once they finish flowering.
• Cut back perennials which are past their best, but leave those with attractive seed heads for winter interest and silhouette such as Sedum, Echinacea and grasses. As well as looking good, many seed heads are a food source for birds.
• Summer flowering perennials, which have finished flowering can be lifted and divided. Discard congested stems from the centre and replant the outer divisions.
• This is a good time to move plants which aren't doing well or aren't growing as you expected them to.

Preparing for cooler temperatures

• A good layer of compost or well rotted manure will benefit established trees and shrubs, including fruit trees, roses and wisteria. This will help to produce stronger growth and more flowers in the spring.
• Mulch around more tender plants to keep their roots warmer. Bark or other materials can be used to help trap the summer warmth in the soil.
• Check your stock of fleece to protect delicate plants and bubble wrap to protect pots.
• Make space in greenhouses and conservatories to bring tender potted plants inside.
• Stand pots on feet or bricks to prevent water logging.
• Drain and put away hoses and irrigation equipment to avoid freezing.
• Clean paths, decking and patio areas.

Container gardening

• Plant containers with winter pansies, violas, cyclamen or heathers for a splash of colour; small ornamental kale and cabbage are fun additions, as are grasses which will give movement. Small evergreen shrubs such as box or euonymus will give height and structure, and can be planted out in the garden when they outgrow the container. Ivy is always a good addition to trail down the sides.
• Evergreen perennials such as Heuchera, Tiarella and evergreen ferns do well in containers, and will last through the winter, perhaps with an addition of one of the colourful plants above.
• Underplant winter containers, window boxes and baskets with bulbs such as dwarf narcissi, crocus, iris reticulata, chionodoxa or something else which takes your fancy. They will find their way up through winter bedding displays.

Pruning

• Prune climbing roses and tie in the stems of these and other climbers to prevent wind damage.
• Prune late summer-flowering shrubs once their show is over. Lavender can be pruned to keep it neat and tidy, cutting within the green stems.

Planting

• Many trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials are better planted in the autumn, into warm soil. Their roots will have time to establish before the winter and be ready to put on top growth in spring. Deciduous trees and shrubs, and flowering perennials will benefit in their first year from autumn planting.
• Plant a shrub for winter flower and scent, such as Camellia, Sarcococca, Hamamelis, Skimmia, Viburnum…there are lots to choose from.
• When planting in new or recently cleared ground, dig in good compost or horse manure. London clay soil often needs improvement to allow drainage. Plants don’t like to sit in wet soil in the winter, or to be baked in dried out soil in the summer. Breaking down clay with good organic compost and digging in grit will help.

Planting for Spring colour

• Karen has mentioned wallflowers and bulbs – they really are worth a bit of effort in the next month or two, to give wonderful displays in the spring.
• Plant bare root wallflowers as soon as possible after buying them. They may look at bit floppy, but will soon pick up. They look great planted with tulips as they will all flower at the same time next year.
• When planting any bulbs, think about the drainage, and if necessary add a handful of grit in the planting hole. If bulbs sit in wet soil, they will rot. As a general rule of thumb, plant the bulbs at two to three times their own depth.
• If you can’t work out where to plant snowdrops, they can be planted in pots, with a 50:50 compost and sharp sand or grit mix, and put out in the winter months when you see a gap.
• Tulips can be planted towards the end of this month. They are more prone to disease than other bulbs hence planting them later.
• Bulbs in borders should be in groups of six or more for a good display. In containers, plant them close together for more impact.
• To get real value from a container try a bulb lasagne, a method of layering bulbs to flower at different times which looks great and extends the season. You will need a good size pot, or window box. Try a bottom layer of tulips, 6-8 inches deep, cover with bulb fibre, then a layer of narcissi and hyacinths 5 inches deep then a layer of Muscari and dwarf Iris 2 inches deep. You could go for blues and whites, pinks and purples or another colour combination. Two pots planted identically either side of a door will bring huge pleasure. When they have finished flowering all except the tulips can be planted out in the garden next year, or potted up again in autumn.
• Indoors: bowls of Hyacinth and indoor Narcissi are easy to do and will fill rooms with scent later in the winter. Plant indoor bulbs 4-6 weeks before you want the flowers.

Fruit and vegetables

• Clear away any remaining debris from vegetable gardens and containers.
• Pick any fruit left on apple, pear and other fruit trees.
• Remove fallen fruit from around trees and shrubs before it rots.
• If you are storing fruit, choose only ‘perfect’ fruit, with no sign of damage or disease. Pack dry fruits in a single layer in crates, not touching, and with good air circulation.
• Put grease bands around the trunks of fruit trees to deter winter moth damage.

Watering and feeding

• Continue to water anything which has been planted recently. Until we have considerable rain, the ground remains dry and roots may not have reached down far enough yet. Think in terms of buckets of water a couple of times a week rather than a sprinkle of water every day.

Lawns

• Mow the lawn for possibly the last time this year.
• Renovate tatty lawns or create new grass areas by laying turf, or sowing seed up to mid October.
• Use an autumn lawn fertiliser.

Pests and disease

• Generally clean and tidy up: a clean garden is a healthier garden.
• Make sure you remove weeds which can act as a host for pests and diseases over winter.
• Squirrels are a number one enemy in south east London gardens! Unfortunately it's a case of living with them but making their lives as difficult as possible. At this time of year they dig up and eat corms and bulbs, especially crocus and tulip, and perform amazing feats to get at bird food. You can deter them from newly buried bulbs with a wire mesh and use a bird feeder with a robust outer wire cage.
• Foxes are an urban pest too. There are some good products available which help to deter them.

Wildlife

• Clean out nesting boxes for birds, and put up some new ones.
• When tidying and cleaning in the garden, leave somewhere for wildlife such as hedgehogs and toads to hibernate as we head into winter.
• Birds will keep coming to your garden if you keep the feeders topped up, and leave some water out for them too. They begin to need more calories as the temperature drops, which can be provided by fat balls and suet blocks.

Plant focus: Camellia

Camellias are a popular winter and spring flowering shrub, providing lovely colour when very few others are in bloom. Native to Eastern and southern Asia, there are several hundred species. Flowers are single, double or semi double and come in a wide range of colours from white through cream and creamy yellow to pinks and reds. The most commonly available cultivar is Camellia japonica, although Camellia sasanqua is an autumn flowering shrub which is occasionally available.

Camellias need acid soil conditions, and make a perfect container specimen using ericaceous soil. They will tolerate a sunny or shady position, but should be positioned away from the morning sun so that if the flower is frosted, the sun will not scorch the flowers, turning them brown.

2 problems to look out for:

- Failure to flower and loss of flower buds – to avoid this ensure the plants are watered through dry spells in late summer when next year’s buds are forming.

- Yellowing leaves, caused by alkaline soil which prevents the take-up of essential nutrients. This can also be caused by watering with tap water, which strips the acidity from the soil. Repot, mulch or top-dress with ericaceous compost.

Enjoy the month, happy gardening!

Sally